PUTRAJAYA, Feb 21 — The much talked about proposed amendments to the Federal Constitution regarding Malaysian citizenship matters will be presented to the federal Cabinet on March 8.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said any decision hinges on whether or not the Cabinet accepts the proposals in their entirety.
“I will present it to the Cabinet on March 8. So, if everything is accepted, the presentation will follow the schedule.
“But if there are amendments and so on, it means we will go according to the plan,” he told a press conference here this afternoon.
He added that the amendments are being considered with careful attention to all the relevant reasons, with a focus on involving prominent individuals with expertise in constitutional matters.
It was reported that various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have expressed apprehension regarding the proposed amendments, saying that they might eliminate existing safeguards for stateless children.
Experts have warned that if approved, these changes could exacerbate the issue of statelessness among children in the country.
The suggested amendments, if enacted, would, among other things, subject abandoned children to discretionary citizenship, placing the responsibility on the children to prove their parentage.
